The present invention relates to encoder-switch assemblies such as electromechanical roller-key assemblies that comprise an encoder part and two or more actuator switches. The encoder part may operate according to magnetic, optical and/or electromechanical principles and may provide one or several electrical output signals indicating the instantaneous change of angular position of a rotating roller or tuning wheel. The actuator switches provide two or more electrical output signals indicating a first or a second displaced position of the roller or wheel of the assembly.
The present encoder-switch assemblies are particularly well adapted for use in mobile phones or, generally, in any type of electronic equipment that will benefit from the very small outer dimensions and simple construction of the present encoder-switch assemblies.
Electromechanical roller-key assemblies which may be used to generate digital control signals in response to a rotation of a roller or tuning knob and to generate an actuator switch signal in response to a depression of the roller are known from e.g. mobile phones. However, the mechanical constructions of these known devices have certain drawbacks due to a large number of miniature movable and stationary parts, often including a tiny detent spring element. This large number of separate parts requires a quite complex and labour intensive assembly procedure to assure that all parts are carefully aligned with respect to each other.
Electromechanical roller-key assemblies are often used to navigate in menus on an electric display of an apparatus. The number and the complexity of functions require that the navigation means can operate in tables and extended menu structures.
Accordingly, there is a need for an encoder-switch assembly of simplified construction with fewer parts than prior art assemblies so as to simplify the assembly procedure, reduce the assembly time and, consequently, lower the costs of integrating such encoder-switch assemblies in today""s mobile phones and similar compact electronic equipment. Also, there is a need for an encoder-switch assembly, which provides extended navigation possibilities.
It is an object of the invention to provide an electromechanical roller-key assembly of simple and robust construction which assembly may be integrated in electronic equipment and generate digital control signals in response to the instantaneous change in angular position of a user operated roller.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an electromechanical roller-key assembly suitable for being manufactured with very small outer dimensions, since such miniaturisation is a key requirement for applications such as hearing aids, compact mobile phones pagers, medical dispensing devices and similar handheld or body-worn devices, etc.
It is further an object of the invention to provide an electromechanical roller-key assembly comprising fewer and simpler mechanical parts compared to prior art roller-key assemblies, thereby making the present electromechanical roller-key assembly suitable for a simplified and automated factory assembly.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an electromechanical roller-key assembly which in addition to the signals representing the rotation of the roller key provides switch signal outputs corresponding to at least four different logic states.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide methods for navigating and selecting items in tables and menus on an electronic display using a single roller key.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a roller-key assembly, which is of a specific type comprising:
a carrier,
a roller member supported by the carrier and being rotatably mounted in relation to the carrier,
a coding member engaging the roller member in a manner so as to rotate when the roller member rotates,
the carrier being mounted in a supporting structure and being at least partly displaceable relative to the supporting structure so as to render the roller member displaceable from an initial position to a selected displaced position out of at least two predetermined displaced positions,
means for detecting rotation of the coding member in relation to the supporting structure,
means for generating a return spring force that returns the roller member to the initial position from the selected displaced position, and
switching means being adapted to indicate the selected displaced position of the roller member.
The switching means typically comprises at least two separate switching means such as two actuator contacts, wherein the first is adapted to generate a first switch signal indicating that the roller member is in a first predetermined position, and the second is adapted to generate a second switch signal indicating that the roller member is in a second predetermined position. Optionally, the roller member is furthermore displaceable to a third predetermined displaced position. In this case, the switching means may further comprise a third switching means adapted to generate a third switch signal indicating that the roller member is in the third predetermined position. Alternatively the third predetermined displaced position of the roller member is indicated by a combination of the first and second switch signals.
Preferably the selected displaced position is chosen by applying a predetermined force to an associated part of the roller member:
the first predetermined displaced position is selected by applying the predetermined force to a first end part of the roller member,
the second predetermined displaced position is selected by applying the predetermined force to a second end part of the roller member, and
if the roller member is furthermore displaceable to a third predetermined displaced position, the third displaced position is selected by applying the predetermined force to a substantially middle part of the roller member.
The carrier may comprise a first and a second part, where the first part is substantially rigidly connected to the frame and the second part is adapted to support the roller member and is displaceable relative to the first part of the carrier. Thereby, a torque spring force are constituted by the carrier so as to return the second part to a relaxed position when the second part is displaced to a relative to the first part. In this case, the carrier is preferably made from a plate-shaped resilient material. One or more indentations may separate first and second parts of the carrier in order to provide regions with a higher resiliency than regions of the carrier abutting the one or more indentations.
When the roller member is displaced to one of the predetermined displaced positions, it is preferred that the carrier actuates the switching means, e.g. by protrusions on the second part of the carrier. Alternatively the roller member is adapted to actuate the switching means when it is displaced.
The switching means may comprise one or several membrane switches. Optionally, such membrane switches may comprise a resilient material and be adapted to provide a return spring force to the roller member or the carrier when the roller member and the carrier are displaced towards the switching means. Alternatively, the resilient material may not form part of the switching means but be arranged between the switching means and the roller member so as to provide the return spring force to the roller member or the carrier when the roller member and the carrier are displaced towards the switching means. The resilient material may be any material selected from the group of: rubber, plastic, foam, metal, metal alloys.
The supporting structure of the roller-key assembly according to the present invention may constitute a frame supporting at least part of the carrier.
In order to transmit the rotation from the roller member to the coding member, the roller-key assembly may comprise a shaft providing a substantially rotationally rigid connection between the roller member and the coding member. The shaft is mounted so as to allow different parts of the roller member to be displaced in relation to the coding member along directions substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roller member. Preferably, the roller member comprises a bore wherein at least part of the shaft is positioned.
The encoder part, that is coding member and the means for detecting rotation of the coding member, may operate according to magnetic, optical and/or electromechanical principles. In order to protect the mechanical, electrical, magnetic or optic components from contamination, the encoder part is preferably arranged inside a substantially moisture- or watertight cavity, parts of which is formed in the frame.
Also, in order to protect the mechanical and electric parts of the switching means and the other components of the apparatus holding the roller-key assembly, the roller-key assembly may further comprise a sealing foil arranged between the switching means and the roller member so as to separate the switching means from the roller member by a substantially moisture- or watertight layer. The supporting structure and the sealing foil, said well having an opening arranged oppositely to the sealing foil may form a substantially moisture- or watertight well wherein the roller member and preferably the carrier is mounted. The roller-key assembly may further comprise means for draining liquids and small particles from within the well, e.g. in the form of a pipe or hose with a first opening positioned within the well.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a hand-held electronic apparatus comprising the above described roller-key assembly is provided. Such hand-held electronic apparatus may be selected from the group of: mobile phones, remote controls, pagers, handheld computers, discmans, MP3-mans, GPS navigators or personal digital assistant.
The hand-held electronic apparatus may further comprise a controller operationally connected to the switching means of the roller-key assembly and adapted to receive the first and second switch signals. The controller is adapted to generate a first output if the first switch signal precedes the second switch signal with more than a first delay time, xcex94t1, and a second output if the second switch signal precedes the first switch signal with more than xcex94t1. Thereby the first output from the controller indicates that the first predetermined displaced position was selected and the second output indicates that the second predetermined displaced position was selected. The output from the controller is preferably a digital output.
If the roller member is furthermore displaceable to a third predetermined displaced position, and if this third displaced position is indicated by a combination of the first and second switch signals, the controller is further adapted to generate a third output if the time interval between the first switch signal and the second switch signal is less than a second delay time, xcex94t2. Thereby, the third output indicates that the third predetermined displaced position was selected.
Preferably the value of xcex94t1 equals the value of xcex94t2, and preferably the time interval xcex94t1 is larger than 10 ms or 25 ms, such as larger than 50 ms or 100 ms. Accordingly, the time interval xcex94t2 is preferably smaller than 100 ms or 50 ms, such as smaller than 25 ms or 10 ms.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of navigating on an electronic display displaying one or more items. Such items may be tables, cells, menus, sub-menus, pop-up menus, buttons etc. The navigation takes place by moving an indicator between items; the indicator may be change of colour of the item, a cursor, a pointer, a frame around the item or any visual or acoustic feature.
The method of navigating on an electronic display according to the second aspect comprises the steps of:
providing a rotatably mounted roller member displaceable from an initial position to a selected displaced position of at least two predetermined displaced positions,
rotating the roller member in a first or a second direction,
detecting rotation of a coding member engaging the roller member in a manner so as to rotate when the roller member rotates,
moving the indicator between items in a first or second direction in response to the detected rotation of the roller member,
applying a predetermined force to a first or second part of the roller member,
detecting the displaced position of the roller member, and
moving the indicator between items in a third or fourth direction in response to the selected displaced position of the roller member.
Preferably, the present invention further provides a method of selecting an item on an electronic display. In this case, the roller member is furthermore displaceable to a third predetermined displaced position. The method comprises the steps of:
moving the indicator to the item to be selected according to the above-mentioned method,
applying a predetermined force to a middle part of the roller member,
detecting the displaced position of the roller member, and
selecting the item.
In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of selecting an option on an electronic display displaying one or more items, at least one of which comprises two options. The method comprises the steps of:
providing a rotatably mounted roller member displaceable from an initial position to a selected displaced position of at least two predetermined displaced positions,
rotating the roller member in a first or a second direction,
detecting rotation of a coding member engaging the roller member in a manner so as to rotate when the roller member rotates,
moving between items in the menu in a first or second direction in response to the detected rotation of the roller member,
applying a predetermined force to a first or second part of the roller member,
detecting the displaced position of the roller member, and
selecting a first or a second option in response to the selected displaced position of the roller member.